Delivery mechanism for cigarette-machines.



No. 739,987. PATENTED vsEET. 29.1903.

W. T. G'OALTEE. DELIVERY MEGEANISM EOE CIGARETTE MACHINES. Y

APPLIGATIONTILED Nov. 11, 189s.

No MODEL.

Ig a t.

- UNITED V STATES Patented September 29, 1903.

A PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. COALTER, OF BARTON HEIGHTS, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEAMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,.A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters raten: vNo. 739,987, datedseptember 29, 190e. vApplimaA-.ion led November 11| 1898. Serial No.696.118. (No model.)

cigarettes as they are formed, will conduct I them to and deposit themuniformly in a reoeptacle without injury tothe cigarettes.

The invention is especially applicable inconnection withcigarette-making machines of that class knownas continuous-rod-cigzoarette machines, and the invention includes certain features limited tosuch machines. rlhe broader features of the invention, however, may beembodied in mechanism for delivering cigarettes from machines of otherzg'classes or in mechanism for handling other like articles inconnection withvwhich the in-` vention may be found useful.

ing drawings, showing such parts of a cigarette-machine and deliverymechanism as are required for explaining the invention, and' 3 5 thefeatures forming` the invention willthen` be specifically pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the delivery end of j acigarette-machine ofA form and the delivery mechanism of the gen-` eralconstructionA shown and fully described in United States Letters Patentto Daniel J. Campbell, No. 610,855, 'so that a brief description of thesame will be sufficient in connection with said Letters Patent.

The machine is of that class in which is yformed a continuouscigarette-rod Qc, from which the cigarettes y are severed, 2 being theframe of the machine, 4 the end of the cigarette-tube, from which thecontinuous cigarette-.rod is delivered, 5 a sliding plate or carriagelmounted upon frame 2 and carrying the rotary cutter 6, this plate 5also carrying the guiding-tube 8 and delivery-tube 9, between which therotary cutter 6 moves in severing the cigarettes. advanced by the beltlO passing over the pulley 11, and the cutting operation is secured atthe proper time for severing a cigarette y by a cani 17, which at eachrevolution moves the carriage 5 toward the delivery end of the machineby engagement with pin 2l and rocks thev guiding-tube 8 anddelivery-tube 9 upon the carriage 5, so as to move the cigarette pastthe cutter by the engagement of the edge of the cam 17 with pin 22,which aetuates the guiding and delivery tubes through pin 25, the tubesand carriage being returned to position, respectively, by springs 26 27.The

. cigarettes y severed by the cutter 6 pass from For a fullunderstandingof the invention a detailed description of a constructionem-` 3o bodying all the features of the same will nowv be given inconnection with the accompany;

the end of the delivery-tube 9 onto the down' 'wardly-inclined chute 36,and thus to the delivery mechanism. The cigarettes pass from the chute36 to the hopper 33 with the curved pocket 34 and down the inclined way35 beneath sideWise-positioning gate 39 and into the travelingreceptacles 37 on the apron orv belt 46, running over table 38, intowhich receptacles the bottom of the inclined way extends, and thesereceptacles 37 are shown as having openings 63 at their opposite ends ofsufficient size to permit the ends of successive receptacles to pass theinclined way 35, while at the same time the ends ofthe receptacles holdthe cigarettes in the receptacles. The endless apron 46 passes aroundpulleys 47 48,

The cigarette-rod is and the shaft of roller 48 is provided with aworm-wheel 49, engaged by a worm l50, the shaft of which is connected bybevel-pinions 51 52 with the driving-shaft 16. The gearing fordrivingthe apron 46 vis so proportioned as to secure a slow movementofthe apron rela-Y tively to the operations of cutting and feeding thecigarettes to the box 37. All the parts above described are the same asin the Letters Patent above referred to, and the side guides 5l 55,inclined downward into the receptacles 37, are also used as in saidpatent for securing the proper endwise position of the cigarettes andassuring their delivery into the receptacle. However, the relativeposition of the movable or swinging sidewise-positioning gate 39 to thesidewise-feeding mechanism for the cigarettes is different from theconstruction in the said Letters Patent, as will be seen in thefollowing description.

The means for receiving the cigarettes y from the pocket 34 andadvancing them downward past the gate 39 and over the inclined way 35differ in the present construction from the Letters Patent abovereferred to, and this part of the construction is as follows: lVithinthe hopper 33 and belowthe pocket 3l is lnounted awheel or roller 100,so that the cigarettes pass downward over the inclined wall of thepocket 3J: onto the roller, and this roller is preferably provided, asshown, with feeding projections 101 on its periphery at suitableintervals, these projections 101 preferably forming rounded pockets,with the surface of the roller inclined inward and rearward from the topof each pocket to the bottom of the next succeeding pocket. Each ofthese projections 101 thus engages a cigarette y successively as theroller rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, and thusdelivers the cigarettes positively downward past the gate 39, which isarranged so as to coact with the roller 100 in advance of the axisthereof, and onto the inclined way 35 below the gate. The roller 100 ispreferably of less width than the length of a cigarette y, as shown, andat each side of the roller is a curved plate 102, which plates extendfrom a point rearward of the pocket 31 downward past the gate 39 andbeyond the bottoms of the pockets in the roll 100 and form sidecontinuations of the inclined way 35, which extends acrossthe face ofthe roller below the gate 39. These plates 102 thus receive thesuccessive cigarettes y from the pocket 34 and support the cigarettes asthey are moved forward by the projections 101 of the roller 100, and theplates are preferably curved eccentrically to the roller, as shown, soas to gradually move the cigarettes outward from the pockets formed bythe projections 101 of roller 100, so that when the cigarettes are inposition to pass the gate 39 and onto the way 35 they are outside of theplane of movement of the outer edge of the projections 101. The gate 39also bears against` the plates 102 and not against the projections 101,so that this gate is swung only by the pressure of the cigarettes andalthough very light serves to secure the proper sidewise positionof thecigarettes in connection with the projections 101, which are behind andacting upon the cigarettes y at the time they are forced past the gate39. By the retarding action of the gate 39 and the advancing action ofthe feeding projections 101 the accurate sidewise posi-` tion of thecigarettes is assured and a very efficient action of the apparatussecured at a high rate of speed.' 'It is possible, however, to omit thegate 39 and depend upon the roller 100 for advancing the cigarettes yand securing their proper sidewise position, and a roller may be usedwithout feeding projections; but the best results are secured with thegate 39 or some other suitable retarding means in combination with aroller having feeding projections.

The roller 100 may be made in any suit-able manner, but preferably asolid roller will be used, with its surface shaped to form the feedingprojections 101, and this roller may be mounted and driven in anysuitable manner. As shown, it is carried by shaft 103, rotating inbearing-sleeve 101, mounted in the frame, which bearingsleeve carriesalso brackets 105, supporting the way 35 and the side plates 102, andthe shaft 103 is driven by pulley 10G, belt 107, and pulley 108 from thedrivingshaft 16 of the machine.

It will be observed from the above that my invention is distinguishedfrom the patent to Campbell above referred to in the relative positionof the means for coacting with the roller 100 for engaging thecigarettes sidewise as they are advanced by the roller, said means,which in the preferred embodiment of the invention consist in themovable sidewise-positioning gate 39, being so arranged as to coact withsaid roller in advance of the axis thereof. This arrangement enables meto secure a positive and certain parallel feed of the cigarettes intothe receptacle 37.

While the improvements forming my invention have beensshown anddescribed in connection with a continuous-rod-cigarette machine and adelivery mechanism of the class shown in United States Letters PatentNo. 610,855 and my construction is especially designed for securing theeiiicient packing of the fragile cigarettes produced by suchcontinuous-rod-cigarette machines without injuring the cigarettes, itwill be understood that my :invention is applicable also in connectionwith machines and delivery mechanism of other classes and. in connectionwith cigarettes, cigars, cheroots, and other articles of such size andshape that they can be handled by my roller feeding devices. It will beunderstood also that modifications may be vmade in the construction ofmy improved feeding devices without departing from the invention, and Iam not to be limited to the exact construction or arrangement of theparts shown.

lVhat is claimed is- 1. The combination with the cigarette-rod formingand delivering mechanism of a continuous-rodcigarette machine and acutting mechanism for severing the ci garette-rod into roov IIO

cigarettes, of delivery mechanism arranged Y to receive the cigarettesfrom the machine after they are cut from the cigarette-rod andsuccessively advance them sidewise and deliver them uniformly into areceptacle, said delivery mechanism including a roller onto which thecigarettes are delivered and provided with peripheral feedingprojections for advancing the `cigarettes sidewise, means coacting withthe roller in advance of the axis thereof for engaging the cigarettessidewise as they are thus advanced, and an inclined Way extendingdownward into the receptacle and down which the cigarettes pass beyondthe roller into the receptacle, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the cigarette form-l ingand delivering mechanismof a continuousrod-cigarette machine, and cutting mechanism for severingthe cigarette-rod into cigarettes, of delivery mechanism arranged toreceive the cigarettes from the machine after they are cutfrom thecigarette-rod and successively advance them sidewise and deliver themuniformly into a receptacle, said delivery mechanism includinga rolleronto which the cigarettes are delivered and provided with peripheralfeeding projections for advancing the cigarettes sidewise, meanscoacting with the roller in advance of the axis thereof Vfor engagingthe cigarettes sidewise as they are thus advanced, an inclined wayextending downward into the receptacle and down which the cigarettespass beyond theroller into the receptacle, and means for positioning thecigarettes endwise as they pass to the receptacle, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination with the cigarette-rod forming and deliveringmechanism of a continuous rod cigarette machine and cutting mechanismfor severing the cigarette-rod into cigarettes, of delivery mechanismarranged to receivethe cigarettes from the machine delivery mechanismincluding a roller ontol which the cigarettes are delivered and providedwith peripheral feeding projections for advancing the cigarettessidewise, an inclined way extending downward into the receptacle anddown which the cigarettes pass beyond the roller into the receptacle,and agate beneath which theciga'rettes pass and coacting with the rollerin advance ofthe axis thereof for positioning the cigarettes sidewise,substantially as described.

4:. rllhe combination with the cigarette-rod forming and deliveringmechanism of a continuous-rod-cigarette machine and cutting mechanismfor severing the cigarette-rod into cigarettes, of delivery mechanismarranged to receive the cigarettes from the machine after they are cutfrom the cigarette-rod and successively advance them sidewise anddeliver them uniformly into a receptacle, said receiving the cigarettesfrom the cigarettemachine, a roller onto which the cigarettes aredelivered and provided with peripheral feeding projections for advancingthe cigarettes sidewise, an inclined way extending downward into thereceptacle and down which the cigarettes pass beyond the roller into thereceptacle, means for positioning'the cigarettes endwise as they pass tothe receptacle,- and retarding means coacting with the roller in advanceof the axis thereof for positioning` the cigarettes sidewise,substantially as described.

5. The combination with a machine for making cigarettes and other likearticles, of mechanism for delivering the articles endwise therefrom, ahopper receiving the articles, a roller in the hopper onto which thearticles are delivered and provided with peripheral feeding projectionsarranged to advance the articles sidewise, means coacting with theroller in advance of the axis thereof for engaging the cigarettessidewse as they are thus advanced, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a machine for making cigarettes and other likearticles, of mechanism for delivering the articles endwi'se therefrom, ahopper receiving the articles, a roller in the hopper onto which thearticles are delivered and provided with peripheral feeding projectionsarranged to advance the articles sidewise, means coacting with theroller in advance of the axis thereof for ven-I gaging the cigarettessidewise as they are, thus advanced, and an inclined way onto which thearticles are fed by the roller, substantially as described.

-7. The combination of inclined way 35., curved eccentric side plates102 extending above said way, and afeeding-roller rotating between saidside plates for advancing articles thereon, said side plates beingveccentric to and extending beyond the engaging portions of the roller,substantially as described.-

8. The combination of inclined way 3.5, curved eccentric side plates 102extending above said way, a feeding-roller rotating between said sideplates for advancing articles thereon, and having peripheral feedingprojections 101, said side plates being eccentric to'and extendingbeyond the engaging portions of said roller, substantially as described.

9. The combination with roller 100 having peripheral feeding projections101, of eccentric side plates 102 curved about said roller andeccentrically thereto and extending beyond the engaging portions Yofsaid roller so as to move the articles beyond the projec-y tions atthedelivery-point, substantially ask tric side plates 102 curved about saidroller and eccentrically thereto and extending beyond the engagingportions thereof so as to move the articles beyond the projections atthedelivery-point, and retarding means bear- IOC IIO

ing against the articles on said plates at the delivery-point of theroller, substantially as described.

l1. The combination of inclined way 35, curved eccentric side plates 102extending above said way, a feeding-roller rotating between said sideplates for advancing articles thereon, and having peripheral feedingprojections 101, and a way 35 in line with the roller beyond itsdelivery-point, said side plates being eccentric to and extending beyondthe engaging portions of the roller, substantially as described.

12. The combination with chute 36 and curved pocket 34, of roller 100below said pocket having feeding projections, and means coacting withroller 10() in advance of the axis thereof for engaging the cigarettessidewise as they are thus advanced.

13. The combination with chute 36 and curved pocket 34, of roller 100below said pocket having its fall cut away to form receiving-pocketswith feeding projections 10] and means coacting with roller 100 inadvance of vthe axis thereof for engaging the cigarettes sidewise asthey are thus advanced.

14. The combination with the curved eccentric side plates 102, of aroller for advancing cigarettes or similar articles downward over saidplates, and inclined way 35 below and beyond the roller, said sideplates being eccentric to and extending beyond the engaging portions ofthe roller, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

XVILLIAM T. COALTER.

XVitn esses:

HARRY LEE CAMPBELL,. ANTON IIOFER THIERMANN.

